deeman forever Cas wrote:
Is that the team that have had years to develop with no threat of relegation (which cost us relegation one year) A team built on numerous aussies/stacey jones etc and with the ability to sign players that no other clubs can sign due to british visa requirements. A team that creates no wealth for other clubs with no away support revenue, so who foots the bill ? Oh yes it's the core clubs like us footing the bill.
Oh and the success of catalans, oh yes i remember bottom of the league.
Catalans Great away trip if you can afford it but a proven success story i don't think so. thats why i name them with the other two expansion clubs.
Let's not forget that they've also finished 3rd in the league and made other playoff finishes, along with challenge cup final and semi-final appearances in recent years. If anything they've been inconsistent and endured some poor seasons, but in 2006 we knew the rules at the start of the season and whilst they were unfair (and sucked big style), and we gained a huge number of league points for a relegated team, there were still too many games where we underperformed and didn't get the result we should have. Then there was the whole Wigan salary cap thing too, but that's another (very old and put to bed) story.
We finished bottom ourselves in 2008 before finishing 7th in 2009 - that's an example of how a club can develop when protected from relegation and Catalans proved that in subsequent years from 2006. It's just a shame that it was at our expense.
As Binks says they are producing their own players, have a strong fan base and are financially sound. Compare them with other 'expansion' clubs and they blow them out of the water in each of those categoroies. Granted they bring very few fans to games out our place, but so do Crusaders and Harlequins. We have to consider the fact that French Rugby League isn't yet strong enough to support a premier competition like Super League. The presence of Catalans in our league is helping that and perhaps one day we'll see a competitve French Super League, after all the Perpignan area is a hotbed for the game and that's the reason Catalans (as an expansion club) are a success whilst others have failed.
